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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29470563">Strength</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elsey8/pseuds/Elsey8'>Elsey8</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Character Study, F/F, Fluff, Hugs, Platonic Relationships, not much to it ann just loves her friends and her girlfriend</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:26:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,233</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29470563</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elsey8/pseuds/Elsey8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ann has always been fairly strong, so really it's no problem for her to pick up her friends, not always for any reason other than they looked like they needed a hug.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Suzui Shiho/Takamaki Ann</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Strength</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ann has always loved Shiho. Ever since the day Shiho walked up to her to compliment her on the hair she was getting teased on, even as far back as that Ann could look at Shiho and say she felt...so much for her. Gratitude, admiration, the beginning stages of a crush. When they were first getting to know one another, they used to eat every lunch together, and they’d both bring a sweet each. A baked good, some candy, chocolate, they’d each have something. And they’d split both to eat together. It’s how they’ve always been. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ann has always wanted to be strong for Shiho after everything she’s done for her. There’s always been something unnamed between them, this idea of safety and protecting one another. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ann thinks Shiho always knew what she was doing with Kamoshida, the same way that she always suspected something and stayed quiet anyway. They did what they could for each other and otherwise stayed quiet. They have always split things fairly down the middle, shared a burden without another word simply because it’s what they have always done. It’s how they’ve always operated. Why shoulder everything when you can have half and still walk forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was probably more they could’ve done, but as things were it was...it was what they could manage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Akira shows up and drags her into the Metaverse, Ann gets strong. She’s always been good at putting on muscle, and she’s never been weak, but the Metaverse makes her stronger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where she feels like she may have failed in being mentally strong enough to do more for Shiho, she’s become physically strong. She feels like she can genuinely carry the burden now, the leg Shiho winces when she puts pressure on it. The leg that’s always elevated, that Shiho always glares at like it’s personally wronged her by being as hurt as it is. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gets a lot of tests done, several scans, and she calls Ann to the hospital to talk to her about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Walking should come with time,” Shiho explains quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you’ll walk again?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will. With some physical therapy and possibly a surgery, I should be able to,” she sighs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t push yourself. Please just...take things slow,” Ann pleads with her.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiho smiles at her, sweet and fond and everything that’s always been in her eyes even when everything was awful. She always looks at Ann like she can’t quite believe it, even though Ann feels that way about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shiho. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t know what she did to deserve her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will,” she promises. “It’s just too bad I can’t go get my own vending machine drinks from here. I love those things.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ann doesn’t think about it, or maybe she chooses to ignore whatever part of her tells her to just slow down and not rush into things like she’s become prone to doing. In all the years she’s spent knowing Shiho, she has never been impulsive a single day of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s been in love with Shiho for a long time, and she’s just never said anything. She was always careful with her words and actions in fear that she would slip up and ruin everything. She never wanted that for them, she always valued Shiho more as a person than as someone she loved. She could go forever silent if it just means she could keep Shiho in her life the way she has her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wrestled herself under control, and stayed by Shiho’s side in the way she could. The way she’s allowed. As a supportive friend, someone who could offer her comfort and security, and not someone she might feel awkward around after everything was said and done. Something easy, something that wouldn’t endanger what they already had because that meant everything to Ann. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiho says she wants to go get a vending machine drink, and Ann immediately reaches into her hospital bed to scoop her up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A hand slipped under her knees, the other wrapped around her shoulders securely. Shiho’s hands come up and clutch at her jacket, eyes widening slightly as she looks up at Ann. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s not a thought that goes through her mind other than just getting Shiho whatever she wants when she’s being so strong. Ann just wants her to not have to be so undeniably strong right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” Shiho breathes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” she says back, half grinning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know what she was doing until it was done, and her life has been sort of falling apart in a slow descent over the last couple of months. She could’ve killed someone for Shiho, she almost did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akira, Ryuji, and Morgana and the Phantom Thieves have been something for her to do, but she’s afraid she’s bitten off way more than she can chew. She was scared to take a risk like this, but she did it for Shiho. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why can’t she do </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>for herself? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ann carries Shiho down a flight of stairs because the elevator takes too long, she shifts Shiho to leaning on her so she can put the money in and get the drink herself. She really just lets Shiho do whatever she wants to do, laughing all the while. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When did you get so strong?” Shiho questions her, poking her side just before Ann can pick her back up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ann swats her hand away and hefts her back into her arms, holding her closer to her chest as Shiho just inspects the drink she got. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s just a tea, something simple that Ann knows she loves, it’s the same brand they have at school. The one Shiho was obsessed with, the one she swore by. Ann remembers how they always used to get one every morning together before any classes started. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ann hasn’t seen her drink one in a long time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve always been this strong,” Ann dismisses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Liar!” Shiho accuses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It gets them some looks as Ann tries to shush her, but in the end it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter, because Shiho is actually smiling. The one that reaches across her face to squeeze her eyes shut and make her face...soft and warm. It’s the smile Ann fell in love with, the one she missed with all of her heart when Shiho got worse, when they were apart. Ann pokes the edge of it, and delights in the way it makes her giggle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiho,” Ann says. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she’s still laughing, a helpless thing now as her cheeks go red and she gasps for breath. Ann doesn’t know how she’s so amused by something so simple, but she watches with fondness as Shiho pounds at her bed and desperately tries to get herself under control. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Shiho</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Ann repeats. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiho is still losing it, so Ann simply helps her out of bed again. She holds her up, secure in her grip as she leans Shiho back and kisses the smile on her lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It feels like a natural progression to it, and in it there’s nothing special. Shiho keeps laughing, but she doesn’t pull away. She kisses back every time she gets her breath back, but mostly she keeps breaking into these fits of giggles every time they look at each other and all Ann can do each time is pick her up and squeeze her and kiss her and absolutely drown her in all the affection she has. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you liked this, feel free to come talk to me on <a href="https://twitter.com/Elsey_8">Twitter</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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